Smiling woman talks on the phone in her office while holding a yoga mat. When it comes to your health, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Benjamin Franklin actually coined that phrase in reference to fire safety in 1736, but it applies to health and wellness in the modern world just as readily. Employee wellness programs stem from this very philosophy. Employee wellness programs seek to improve employees’ health, increase productivity, prevent serious medical issues, and make managing health problems easier when they do arise. While spending money on preventative health measures can cost employees a pretty penny upfront, there’s a growing body of evidence that it can save more down the road. Here’s a breakdown of the benefits to starting an employee wellness program, and a look at how to do it.

Why You Should Start an Employee Wellness Program

Cutting Costs

Healthcare spending in the U.S. reached an alarming $3.2 trillion in 2015, and this number was only expected to increase. This is the highest amount among developed countries. However, companies that employ an employee wellness program are seeing these costs fall sharply. The return on investment (ROI) of these programs averages out to about 3:1; some even see as high as 5:1.

Reducing Absenteeism

One of the major ways an employee wellness program can save you money is by reducing absenteeism. It’s a no-brainer that offering access to simple preventative measures like flu shots can reduce the number of sick days taken by employees, but it’s even more complex than that. A program that incorporates not just medical assistance but a comprehensive approach to wellness covers addresses like stress management. As it turns out, stress is one of the biggest causes of absenteeism and poor performance at work.

Happier, Healthier Employees

It’s hard to measure happiness, but studies of employee wellness programs seem to suggest that employees who say they’re happier and healthier perform better. A positive work environment can go a long way toward improving costs, employee retention, employee performance, and more. An employee wellness program tells your staff that you care about them, and it’s a major step in the right direction.

How to Start an Employee Wellness Program

Tailor Your Program to Your Employees

Every employee wellness program is a little different, and yours should be too. After all, it’s for your employees, and no two workplaces are the same. First, you’ll have to look at the range of possibilities to see which combination of approaches is best for you and your staff. For some companies, a preventative-heavy approach may be best: tackling smoking cessation, weight reduction, or onsite medical screenings to catch issues before they start. Others may find their employees require more help managing existing conditions, like diabetes. Survey your employees and work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Health ScoreCard to see how you should go about developing an employee wellness plan.

Encourage Participation

An employee wellness plan isn’t much use if no one uses it. Tailoring your program to your employees is a starting point, but it requires more than that. As one white paper broke down the process, employees need to be aware of the need for a change, want to change, know how to change, be able to change, and then continue to be interested in this change. Make sure your employees are educated not only about the program, but know how to get involved, and why they should care in the first place. Make discussions about health and wellness a regular feature in your workplace so it’s always top of mind. Finally, offer incentives to maintain interest and participation. This can involve celebrations, other events, or rewards — whatever you want for your company!

Get Involved!

Leading by example is one of the most effective strategies at getting employees involved in a wellness program. The CDC recommends that CEOs participate in peer-to-peer communication about the benefits of preventative health measures in their workplace to encourage employee engagement from the very top. Starting an employee wellness program doesn’t have to be hard — in fact, it can be quite simple. All it takes is a little time by a dedicated staff member or committee to sit down and hash out what can be done to improve your particular environment, and slowly introduce some initiatives. The CDC offers a multitude of resources on where to get started, and once you get started, you may find it hard to stop the momentum! The Back Store is a health- and comfort-minded seller of quality furniture. Browse our inventory online or get in touch with us today to find the right furniture to match your healthy lifestyle.